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Three officials and employees of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) have been suspended over alleged irregularities in bridge construction in Noakhali and Tangail.
Show-cause notices have also been issued to senior engineers involved, while an official has been assigned to investigate the allegations.
The measures were announced in separate orders signed by LGED Chief Engineer Md Belal Hossain on Wednesday.
In Begumganj, Noakhali, allegations emerged that irregularities occurred in the use of reinforcement rods for the footpath slabs and railings of an under-construction bridge.
LGED took action after a report on the issue was published in a newspaper on September 23.
LGED suspended Nazmul Islam, sub-assistant engineer at the Begumganj upazila engineer’s office, and work assistant Md Mohin Uddin. Departmental action will also be taken against them under government service rules, according to the orders.
Show-cause notices were issued to Noakhali Executive Engineer Jugal Krishna Mondal and Begumganj Upazila Engineer Abul Mansur Ahmed, asking them to respond within seven working days.
The LGED’s supervising engineer for the Noakhali region was assigned to investigate the allegations and submit a report within the same period.
In another case in Basail, Tangail, bamboo was allegedly used instead of reinforcement rods in casting footpath slabs of an under-construction bridge.
Work assistant Md Hasmat Ali of the Basail upazila engineer’s office was suspended over the incident.
LGED said the use of bamboo instead of specified construction materials had been reported in the media and widely discussed on social media. Departmental action will be taken against him for alleged negligence of duty.
Earlier, LGED suspended sub-assistant engineer Md Moniruzzaman over the Basail incident and sought explanations from the district executive engineer and the concerned upazila engineer. It also ordered action against the contractor.
State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam said those involved in irregularities or corruption in development projects would not be spared.
“Anyone involved in looting public money or putting people’s lives at risk will be held accountable,” he said, adding that no one would be allowed to escape responsibility by using their position or influence.